‘Our Goal Isn’t Global Hits’

Netflix’s director of content for Africa, Dorothy Ghettuba, shared the platform’s strategy for the continent during an event at the Durban FilmMart. Speaking to a packed audience, Ghettuba emphasized that capturing the hearts of local audiences is crucial to launching potential global sensations.

“We want to entertain the world. We want to tell them African stories,” said Ghettuba. “But our focus first has got to be local, and then it goes global. We don’t aim for global hits. Shows like ‘Casa de Papel,’ ‘Burning Body,’ ‘Squid Game’ — those are local shows.”

Ghettuba spoke alongside South African producers Jayan Moodley (“Keeping Up With the Kandasamys”) and Katleho Ramaphakela (“How to Ruin Christmas”), discussing how to launch a hit on Netflix using their personal experiences as case studies.

Ghettuba pointed to titles like “Kandasamys,” a comedy franchise set in South Africa’s Indian community, and the hit series “How to Ruin Christmas,” as examples of authentic stories that win over local audiences before becoming global successes.

“You can’t manufacture a global hit, but you can start by having an authentic local story,” she said. “It has to be something that people will love and enjoy, and then a fandom will be created around it.”

Ghettuba continued, “The moment you say, ‘I have an international hit,’ I am out. What we have learned is that the more local a show, the more it resonates with your audience. It gets loved locally, and then it spreads across Africa and the globe.”

Since releasing its first African original series, the spy thriller “Queen Sono” in 2020, Netflix has developed relationships with a variety of African creators. Deals have been made with filmmakers like Nigeria’s Mo Abudu (“Blood Sisters”) and Kunle Afolayan (“Anikulapo”), as well as South African filmmakers Mandla Dube (“Silverton Siege”) and Donovan Marsh (“iNumber Number”) and production companies such as Ochre Moving Pictures (“Soon Comes Night”) and Gambit Films (“Blood & Water”).

Returning to her local-first message, Ghettuba noted that partnerships are driven by finding creators whose shows have already built dedicated local followings.

“If I have a show that is a hit globally and doesn’t work in South Africa, I will not commission a second season. Because it has not done what it needs to do: entertain local audiences,” she said. “When we consider renewing a show, the first question is, did it find an audience? Did people love it?”

“That’s what happened with ‘How to Ruin’ and ‘Kandasamys.’ They found an audience. South Africans are watching, laughing, and talking about them. They resonate with the local viewers.”

Netflix’s latest African slate includes new titles from Nigeria’s Abudu and Kemi Adetiba (“King of Boys”), showcasing how the streaming service is bolstering its focus on key markets in Africa. But Ghettuba stressed a “step by step” approach in its expansion efforts.

“We’re focused on South Africa right now but are also looking at Nigeria. For the rest of Africa, we remain optimistic. We find valuable titles from time to time. The idea is to keep growing. We are committed to Africa and are here to stay.”

The Durban FilmMart runs from July 19 to July 22.